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American Libraries Online
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Awards
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Court rules FCC lacks authority to regulate net neutrality
A federal appeals court ruled April 6 that the Federal Communications Commission does not have the authority to require network providers to give equal treatment to the sites or applications to which they provide access. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia overturned (PDF file) a 2008 ruling by the FCC ordering Comcast to stop blocking its broadband subscribers from using the BitTorrent online file-sharing technology and other applications....
American Libraries news, Apr. 7

Boston dials back library service cuts
With 48 hours to spare before the Boston Public Library board is scheduled to finalize the system’s FY2011 budget for Mayor Thomas M. Menino’s review, BPL President Amy E. Ryan (right) has recommended a modified service cutback. The change follows a sustained outpouring of public criticism regarding an earlier proposal to close up to 10 branches and dismiss as much as 25% of the staff. Ryan’s April 7 recommendation calls for the closure of four libraries and the retention of present service hours at BPL’s 22 other facilities. Under this proposal, 25 staff positions would be eliminated....
American Libraries news, Apr. 7

Albuquerque can’t ban sex offenders from libraries
Citing an individual’s right to receive information as paramount, the U.S. District Court of New Mexico has overturned a two-year-old mayoral regulation that banned anyone who is a registered sex offender under federal or state law from visiting the 16-branch Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Library. Albuquerque officials were considering their options in light of the ruling. Filed in October 2008, John Doe v. City of Albuquerque claimed that the plaintiff had been a frequent library visitor until receiving a letter banning him from the premises....
American Libraries news, Apr. 6

Librarians, self-preservation, and construction budgets
Jeannette Woodward writes: “Money issues on a construction project can become so numerous and so stress-producing that you may feel tempted to sign up for the Foreign Legion or flee to Timbuktu. Libraries rarely cost precisely what we expect. Since there are thousands of variables (the price of steel, the condition of the soil, labor disputes), numbers will keep changing throughout the life of the project. You will have to balance your determination to build the perfect library with your instinct for self-preservation.”...
American Libraries feature

Grow your own librarian
Kathy Anderson writes: “In 2004, in response to the difficulties of recruiting professionals to work in public libraries in the state, the Mississippi Library Commission embarked on an innovative program to improve public library services and ‘grow their own’ librarians. Their solution was to create an intensive Librarianship Institute that not only immerses participants in the principles and tools of public librarianship but may also motivate them to return to school for professional degrees.”...
American Libraries feature

Green crossword puzzle
Laura Bruzas writes: “If you like crossword puzzles as much as I do, here’s a special treat in honor of Earth Month. I created it in such a way that you could use it in a variety of settings. You can play online or download a printable one-page version in Word format. The answers will be provided in a future blog post.”...
AL: Green Your Library, Apr. 6

Dinners for Spectrum Scholars
President Camila Alire, President-Elect Roberta Stevens, and Past-President Jim Rettig are working together on a special Presidential Initiative to raise $1 million for the Spectrum Scholarship program. This spring, they are asking ALA members to help by hosting a Dinner for Spectrum Scholars. The concept is simple: Bring people together for a meal and encourage them to make a donation. 500 dinners, each raising $500, will bring in $250,000. Be sure to submit a completed contributions form (Word file) to the ALA Development Office shortly after your event....
Spectrum Presidential Initiative, Apr. 7

Another round of ALA staff furloughs
ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels summed up the state of Association finances at a general staff meeting in the Chicago headquarters the morning of April 7. “Overall revenues for 2010 are projected to be 4% less, or just over $2 million,” Fiels said, “than ALA had projected a year ago” (on a total budget of $54 million). This means that ALA will need to dip into its reserve account as well as require all staff to take a one-week furlough prior to July 2....
AL: Inside Scoop, Apr. 7

National Library Week, April 11–17
With Americans turning to libraries in record number for employment resources and technology support, the nation’s libraries celebrate National Library Week, April 11–17. The celebration, sponsored by ALA, includes events held at thousands of libraries to promote the many free resources available. The programs include assisting the unemployed with jobs searches and filing unemployment benefits; helping the unskilled learn to use a computer; and providing homework help, access to e-government services, and accurate financial education information....
Public Information Office, Apr. 6

National Library Workers Day, April 13
On National Library Workers Day, April 13, communities across the United States will recognize the contributions made by all library workers—including librarians, support staff, and others who make library services possible. Submit a star to honor a valued worker, find an inventive way to advocate for fair pay, or become a fan on the NLWD Facebook page. Watch a podcast featuring ALA-APA director Jenifer Grady talking about issues affecting library employees....
Public Information Office, Apr. 6; ALA–Allied Professional Association; Visibility @ your library, Apr. 6

National Bookmobile Day, April 14
On April 14, communities across America will mark the inaugural celebration of National Bookmobile Day, which honors the role of bookmobiles and direct-delivery outreach services in fulfilling the mission of libraries. Part of National Library Week, National Bookmobile Day will highlight how bookmobiles help communities thrive. With much of the country still struggling through a difficult economy, libraries and mobile services are part of the solution when a community is struggling economically....
Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, Apr. 6

Banned Books Week 2010
Banned Books Week 2010 will be held September 25–October 2. “Think for Yourself and Let Others Do the Same” is the slogan for this year’s campaign. This year’s slogan is borrowed from the Facebook group, “Un-Ban Gilbert Grape! Censorship is Wrong!” According to Andy Lange, one of the group’s leaders, the slogan is a shortened version of Voltaire’s quote, “Think for yourself and let others enjoy the privilege of doing so too.”...
OIF Blog, Apr. 5

Toolkit for library service to older adults
The latest toolkit from the Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, Keys to Engaging Older Adults @ your library, is now available in print and as a free download (PDF file). The toolkit provides tips and tools to better understand and serve this important and growing segment of the population, covering topics ranging from programming, funding, publicity, accessibility, and best practices. It is the fourth in a series of outreach advocacy toolkits available from OLOS....
Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, Apr. 1

Prisoners’ right to read
Martin Garnar writes: “During its spring meeting, the Intellectual Freedom Committee adopted a draft of Prisoners’ Right to Read: An Interpretation to the Library Bill of Rights. We plan to present this interpretation for adoption when I give the report to Council at Council Session III during the 2010 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. The committee would appreciate receiving any comments you may have prior to conference, no later than June 11.”...
Librarians for Human Rights, Apr. 1

Want to get more involved in the profession?
Check out the new Opportunities Exchange, where you can search for assistantships, awards, calls for proposals, and volunteer opportunities. Want to let others know about your grant opportunity or internship? Just fill out the form to add it to the OppEx. You don’t even have to log in to view the database, which includes opportunities for nonmembers and international residents. Learn how to add an opportunity here....
ALA Connect, Apr. 5

Lincoln traveling exhibit adds 25 more libraries
The ALA Public Programs Office and the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia have announced that the traveling exhibit “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War” will be hosted by an additional 25 libraries, extending its reach to a total of 50 libraries from August 2010 through December 2014. The exhibition explores how Lincoln used the Constitution to confront three intertwined crises of the war—secession, slavery, and wartime civil liberties....
Public Programs Office, Apr. 6

Play ball @ your library
The launch of the fifth season of the ALA and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Step Up to the Plate @ your library program coincides with the start of baseball season. Step Up to the Plate features a baseball trivia contest. People of all ages are encouraged to visit their library and answer a series of trivia questions inspired by our national pastime. One grand-prize winner will receive a trip to the Hall of Fame in October....
Campaign for America’s Libraries, Apr. 5

Serve on an IFLA section committee
The International Relations Committee is accepting nominations to section standing committees of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions for the 2011–2015 term. Any ALA member may be suggested for nomination to an IFLA standing committee. Please forward nomination(s) to Delin Guerra at the International Relations Office before November 10....
International Relations Office

Public library services for the poor
ALA Editions has released Public Library Services for the Poor: Doing All We Can by Leslie Edmonds Holt and Glen E. Holt. The work demonstrates how five key action areas adopted by the ALA Council (diversity, equity of access, education and continuous learning, intellectual freedom, and 21st-century literacy) apply especially to this disadvantaged population and motivates librarians to use creative solutions to meet their needs....
ALA Editions, Apr. 6

Laurie Halse Anderson on school libraries
AASL School Library Month 2010 spokesperson and award-winning author Laurie Halse Anderson visited with students in the school library at Mexico (N.Y.) High School on March 30. Her message to the students focused on the essential role school libraries and librarians play in education. Mexico Academy’s Mike Charbonneau produced this video (2:50)....
AASL, Apr. 6

Support Teen Literature Day, April 15
Participate in Support Teen Literature Day on April 15. The event, sponsored by YALSA, is celebrated on Thursday of National Library Week. The purpose of Support Teen Literature Day is to raise awareness among the general public that young adult literature is a vibrant, growing genre with much to offer today’s teens. YALSA will again be part of Operation Teen Book Drop, with 10,000 new books being delivered to teens on native reservations and tribal lands, to coincide with Support Teen Literature Day....
YALSA, Apr. 6

Apply for YALSA’s mentoring program
Applications are now open for YALSA’s two-way mentoring program. The new program will pair an experienced librarian with a new librarian or graduate student in an LIS program. Applications from YALSA members will be accepted in two categories: protégés and mentors. Protégés are those with five years’ experience or less or students in a graduate library school program. Mentors are those with more than six years’ experience. Check out the Mentoring Program FAQ....
YALSA Blog, Apr. 5

Luis Alberto Urrea at the PLA National Conference
Author Luis Alberto Urrea spoke with American Libraries at the PLA National Conference about how libraries helped him to build his career and about why people who don’t use libraries should. The video (2:48) is available in English and Spanish....
AL Focus, April 6

PLA’s president at the PLA National Conference
At the PLA National Conference in Portland Oregon, PLA President Sari Feldman spoke (2:16) to American Libraries Editor Leonard Kniffel about the new Gates Foundation study, “Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries,” released the first day of the conference; Natalie Merchant; and how conferences can help librarians struggling in tough economic times....
AL Focus, April 6

Registration open for Back to Basics webinar
To make sure your library is equipped to serve your dynamic population of young adults, register for “Back to Basics: Updated Guidelines for Everyday Service to 21st Century Teens,” a YALSA webinar scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern Time on April 22. Registration for the webinar closes April 19....
YALSA, Apr. 1

AASL’s new L4L webinars
AASL has announced the presenters and objectives for its new series of Learning4Life webinars. The series is designed for school librarians to learn more about the implementation of the AASL program guidelines. The webinars will be held at 4:30 p.m. Central Time on Wednesdays during the month of April. For more information about the L4L webinar series, presenters, individual and district pricing options, and to register, visit the AASL website....
AASL, Apr. 6

ASCLA seeks journal editor
ASCLA seeks an editor for its quarterly online membership journal, Interface. The journal serves as the primary source of information and communication between ASCLA and the library and user community and reaches the division’s 1,000 members each quarter. Guided by ASCLA editorial policy, the editor is responsible for the content, format, and timely online publication. The deadline for applications is May 3....
ASCLA Blog, Mar. 29

ASCLA programs at Annual Conference
ASCLA has released a comprehensive guide (PDF file) to its activities at the upcoming ALA Annual Conference, June 24–29, including preconferences, programs, discussion groups, and special events....
ASCLA, Apr. 6

Mentors and volunteers needed for Annual Conference
The International Relations Round Table is seeking mentors to meet and interact with international visitors during the ALA 2010 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. To sign up, submit the online form. Volunteers are also needed to staff the International Visitors Center June 25–28. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Ruby Bell-Gam by June 1....
International Relations Office, Apr. 6

2010 Eli M. Oboler Memorial Award
Ernest Freeberg will receive the 2010 Eli M. Oboler Memorial Award for his book, Democracy’s Prisoner: Eugene V. Debs, the Great War, and the Right to Dissent (Harvard University, 2008). The award is presented by the Intellectual Freedom Round Table every two years for the best published work in the area of intellectual freedom. The book is an account of the life of Eugene V. Debs that highlights the legal, political, and social contexts of Debs’s influential career as labor union leader and political activist and the lesser-known story of the effect of his case in extending the First Amendment’s support of the right to dissent....

Marshall Breeding wins 2010 LITA Library Hi Tech Award
Marshall Breeding, director for innovative technologies and research for the Vanderbilt University Libraries in Nashville, has been named the winner of the 2010 LITA/Library Hi Tech Award for Outstanding Communication in Library and Information Technology. The $1,000 award recognizes outstanding persons or institutions for their long-term contributions in the area of LIS technology and its application....
LITA, Mar. 10

2010 Marshall Cavendish Award
The 2010  Marshall Cavendish Excellence in Library Programming Award goes to Queens (N.Y.) Library for its HealthLink program and Cancer Action Councils. The award is given by ALA each year to either a school or public library that provides programs that have community impact and respond to community needs. This year, the library is partnering with the Queens Cancer Center, the American Cancer Society of Queens, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to bring cancer information, screenings, and treatment referrals to medically underserved communities....
Office of ALA Governance, Apr. 6

2010 Awards for European Information Sources
The joint winners of the European Information Association’s 2010 Awards for European Information Sources are the Presseurop and EuroAcademy websites. Presseurop delivers selected news items from 250 sources, translated into 10 languages, with the aim of promoting public discussion on a wide range of issues relating to the European Union. EuroAcademy offers information and materials to teachers and pupils involved in learning about the EU and the European Parliament in secondary schools....
European Information Association, Mar. 22

Iowa state senator says remove school librarian mandate
Registered nurse, librarian, and guidance counselor mandates in Iowa schools should be lifted as a way to save money, Iowa Sen. Paul McKinley (R-36th) said April 6. “We have mandated that there be a certified librarian in this age of communication,” he told reporters. Elaine Watkins-Miller, spokeswoman for the Iowa Department of Education, countered, “Many librarians are not your traditional librarians. Many times they are the ones teaching the students about the new technologies and the fundamentals of research.”...
Des Moines (Iowa) Register, Apr. 6

New Benning branch is first of five in D.C.
With the opening of a new Benning branch April 5, the District of Columbia Public Library begins a brisk period of exciting change, with five new or substantially remodeled branches opening over the next nine months. The signs are positive that the city isn’t just adding new buildings and gadgetry, but striking a smart balance between old and new, traditional and contemporary library functions. Chief Librarian Ginnie Cooper (right) led all the people at the grand opening party in her signature cheer....
Washington Post, Apr. 5; WJLA-TV, Washington, Apr. 5

Another Google Books lawsuit
As Google awaits approval of a controversial settlement with authors and book publishers, the company’s plan to create an immense digital library and bookstore may face yet another hurdle. On April 7, the American Society of Media Photographers and other groups representing visual artists filed a class-action lawsuit against Google, asserting that the company’s efforts to digitize millions of books from libraries amount to large-scale infringement of their copyrights....
New York Times, Apr. 6

Indianapolis library must cut back
An estimated 7% cut (about $3.2 million) in the Indianapolis–Marion County Public Library operating budget has board members blaming property tax caps as they scramble to avoid program reductions, layoffs, and branch closures. The board has not decided whether it will close branches, but if it does, the East Washington branch (right), a 1909 Carnegie library, could be a target. Because 80% of the library’s revenue comes from property taxes, tax caps passed in 2008 have forced the board to reevaluate its spending....
Indianapolis Star, Apr. 6

Jewish groups say Canadian book is anti-Israel
The Shepherd’s Granddaughter, by Toronto author and teacher-librarian Anne Laurel Carter, is currently being read by thousands of Grade 7 and 8 students as part of the Ontario Library Association’s massive Forest of Reading program, meant to highlight the best examples of Canadian literature. But two Jewish groups accuse it of being one-sided. B’Nai B’rith Canada’s Anita Bromberg called it “akin to propaganda in the war against Israel” and wants it removed from classrooms around the province. Five school boards in Ontario, including Toronto, have restricted access to the book....
Parentcentral.ca, Mar. 26

Calvin College’s first book-eating contest
Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, celebrated its first book-eating contest April 1 with baked examples of Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and The Scarlet Letter. Reference Librarian Lois Dye, a self-proclaimed foodie, founded Books in the Baking (a play on the college motto, “Minds in the Making”) this year after learning about the International Edible Book Festival, a similar contest that has been celebrated worldwide on April Fool’s Day—also known as Edible Book Day—since 2000. Student Paula Manni’s Peter Rabbit display (above) was judged the overall winner....
Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press, Apr. 1

UIUC library goes mobile
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign launched its mobile library site March 29. The site allows people to access the library catalog, find library locations and hours, search additional databases with mobile interfaces, and send text-message reference questions to librarians. It can be accessed from any computer or cell phone, including the iPhone and BlackBerry devices....
Daily Illini, Mar. 31

Library cards feature design by student artist
The Horry County (S.C.) Memorial Library is now issuing new library cards featuring a design created by a student at the Academy for Technology and Academics in Conway. Madalyn Johnson, a senior at the school, created the design for the card, which also includes a key-chain library card....
WMBF-TV, Myrtle Beach, S.C., Apr. 5

Mississippi librarian competes on Jeopardy!
A Jackson librarian put his research skills to the test April 6 during an appearance on Jeopardy! David Hoskins, a reference librarian at the Eudora Welty Library in Jackson, Mississippi, was in third place with $7,400 going into Final Jeopardy, but missed the last question. He went home with $1,000....
WAPT-TV, Jackson, Miss., Apr. 5–6

Another library tests BISAC arrangement
Llibrarians, and the thousands of patrons who use the 177,280 items in the Natrona County (Wyo.) Public Library, have seen how the Dewey Decimal Classification system—despite its technical genius—can confuse people, said Reference Librarian Betsy O’Neil. Last year, O’Neil and library director Bill Nelson wondered how they could make a good system better, so they began applying the BISAC headings developed by the Book Industry Study Group to the reference collection to test users’ reactions....
Billings (Mont.) Gazette, Mar. 20

New Jersey cuts would affect interlibrary loans
Library directors in Morris County, New Jersey, say they fear proposed state budget cuts will affect the most popular service they offer—interlibrary loans from the county’s library consortium. The proposed 74% cut in the state library budget, from $14 million to $3.7 million, would end loans within the Morris Automated Information Network, as well as dry up funds for cooperative sharing of databases. The impact would be felt the worst on the smallest libraries. “That’s not shared suffering,” said New Jersey Library Association Executive Director Pat Tumulty. See a summary of the library situation....
Morristown (N.J.) Daily Record, Apr. 4; Philadelphia Inquirer, Apr. 3; I Love NJ Libraries

Three Connecticut law libraries close
Courthouse law libraries in Norwich, Willimantic, and Milford, Connecticut, closed their doors for good April 1, all victims of the state budget crunch. Fortunately, no jobs at the affected libraries were eliminated. Barring a near miracle, three more libraries—in Hartford, Bridgeport, and Litchfield—will close in two months. “The big misconception [is that] everything is available electronically,” said Norwich Law Librarian Lori Sulmasy....
Connecticut Law Tribune, Apr. 5

L.A. employees ask to be spared layoffs
The first of as many as 4,000 job cuts are underway to keep the city of Los Angeles solvent, and confrontations between vulnerable workers and their elected representatives have begun to roll out on a live telecast of the city council’s meetings each week. Hillary George of the Will and Ariel Durant branch in Hollywood appeared March 31, urging a more creative solution than layoffs. Of the 20 librarians on the layoff list so far, George said, she would be twelfth in seniority. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa proposed April 7 shutting down city libraries two days a week for three months to help make ends meet....
Los Angeles Times, Mar. 31, Apr. 7

Collector in chief hoards irreplaceable artifacts
David S. Ferriero is the first national archivist who has been a librarian, a career turn he modestly attributes to his failure to get into medical school. The National Archives is the repository of the nation’s heritage—things like the actual $7.2-million check with which the United States bought Alaska, strands of wampum attached to an Indian treaty, and a letter from Annie Oakley offering President William McKinley 50 female sharpshooters to fight in the Spanish-American War (above). Ferriero is witty, engaging, immersed in technology, and he views the jobs of librarian and archivist as very similar....
New York Times, Mar. 31

U.S. Navy Department Library’s 210th birthday
The United States Navy Department Library, established by President John Adams in 1800, celebrated its 210th anniversary March 31. Today, the library, located at the Washington Navy Yard in D.C., still specializes in naval, nautical, and military history. And it is one of the few major military historical libraries in the world that is open to the public....
GlobalSecurity.org, Apr. 2

Burglars hit Salt Lake library businesses
On March 31, Lindsay Frendt watched workers repair the glass doors at Salt Lake Citizen, her business located in the Salt Lake City Main Library. Burglars had smashed the doors and broken into the store, which sells locally made clothing and accessories, twice in the past four days. The thief apparently used a bagel-sized rock to break into the Friends of the Library bookstore, then took two granite bookends and used those to smash other windows....
Salt Lake Tribune, Mar. 31

J. K. Rowling drops to sixth most-stolen author in Scotland
Jacqueline Wilson has overtaken Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling as the writer whose books are most stolen from Scotland’s libraries. Rowling’s books have slipped from the top spot to sixth in the most-stolen list. Thieves have instead been taking work by children’s author Wilson, American thriller writer James Patterson, and romance novelist Nora Roberts. Taxpayers are footing an annual bill of £659,294 ($1 million U.S.) for the unreturned books, with 129,450 disappearing from the shelves....
The Scotsman, Apr. 3

Protester held during royal visit to Cambridge library
A protester who was arrested after attempting to breach security during a royal visit to Cambridge, England, has been released. The 55-year-old man was among campaigners demonstrating outside Cambridge Central Library March 31, as Princess Anne arrived to officially open the renovated building. He was part of a group of people from Cambridgeshire Against the Cuts who gathered to protest against plans to slash spending by the county council....
Cambridge (U.K.) News, Apr. 1

Go back to the Top

ALA Annual Conference, Washington, D.C., June 24–29. An ALA Annual Conference in the nation’s capital offers many opportunities for international visitors. Check out these tips on how to get your travel reimbursed, no matter where you work or go to school.

Apple iPad: The details
Tim Gideon writes: “After it was announced in January, the unfortunately named Apple iPad seemed like it could be the company’s first major clunker in a long time. But having used the iPad for some time, I can tell you that the device just makes sense. When you combine basic-but-essential work tools with iWork, an improved browser, email, iPod, and photo applications, a well-executed e-book platform with iBooks, and throw in thousands of downloadable apps and games, and package it all in a gorgeous, slim slate with a beautiful 9.7-inch touch screen, you have yourself a winner.” Watch the video review (5:33). Jason Griffey has two other video reviews on Perpetual Beta....
PC Magazine, Mar. 31; AL: Perpetual Beta, Apr. 1

Developers seek to link the iPad with education
More than 300,000 iPads were sold April 3 in Apple Stores and through pre-orders, Apple announced April 5, and education-technology enthusiasts finally got to experiment with the device that Apple CEO Steve Jobs describes as a “game changer.” The iPad App Store is stocked with more than 150,000 downloadable programs, including some that might catch educators’ attention....
eSchool News, Apr. 5

How green is my iPad?
Daniel Goleman and Gregory Norris write: “With e-readers like Apple’s new iPad and Amazon’s Kindle touting their vast libraries of digital titles, some bookworms are bound to wonder if tomes-on-paper will one day become quaint relics. But the question also arises: Which is more environmentally friendly, an e-reader or an old-fashioned book? To find the answer, we turned to life-cycle assessment, which evaluates the ecological impact of any product, at every stage of its existence.”...
New York Times, Apr. 4

LC’s new state-of-the-art scanner
A new book2net scanner in the Library of Congress Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room is the first and only one of its kind in the United States (there are two others in Canada). The machine, originally designed for use in the reading rooms of the British Library, can capture a JPEG image of an entire newspaper page (or comic book, folio, book, or bound volume) in 0.3 seconds, and it needs only 1.9 seconds of cycling time to scan another page....
Library of Congress Blog, Apr. 2

Personal printers add workspace convenience
M. David Stone writes: “A personal printer at work spares you the countless trips to pick up your output on a shared machine. The printers we’re talking about here are small enough to fit on your desk without dominating it. They don’t take up a lot of desktop real estate and they aren’t tall enough to tower over you. They include a variety of technologies (monochrome and color laser, color LED, and inkjet) as well as a range of sizes and paper-handling capability.”...
PC Magazine, Apr. 3

Keith Richards wanted to be a librarian
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has confessed to a secret longing in his forthcoming autobiography: He is an avid bookworm and wanted to be a librarian at one time. In Life (due out in October from Little, Brown), Richards will reveal how he found refuge in books before he discovered the blues, and he once attempted to arrange his large personal collection using the Dewey Decimal Classification....
The Sunday Times (U.K.), Apr. 4

And now, the world’s greatest thesaurus
Mary Ellen Quinn writes: “The OED has been called the world’s greatest dictionary, and it has now been joined by what might be called the world’s greatest thesaurus, Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary. The history of this thesaurus, though not quite as long as that of the OED, is almost as fraught. According to the chronology helpfully provided by the publisher, the project was first announced in 1965. In its review, The Guardian notes that the Thesaurus might turn out to be “one of the last great printed reference works.” College and Research Libraries News says it “deserves a place on the academic shelf because it indeed leaves Roget, Webster, and even other Oxford thesauri far behind.”...
Point of Reference, Apr. 6; The Guardian (U.K.), Dec. 19, 2009; College and Research Libraries News 71, no. 1 (Jan.): 44–45

5 ways the Google Books Settlement will change the future of reading
Annalee Newitz writes: “If you care about the future of books, you need to understand the Google Books Settlement. It’s a complicated legal document, but we’ve talked to some of its architects, detractors, and defenders—and we break it all down for you. The Google Books Settlement could easily be the 21st century’s most important shift in how we deal with copyright in the world of publishing. To understand it, you need a little back story on the previous giant shift in copyright law, which happened about 12 years ago.”...
io9, Apr. 2

PW purchased by former publisher
Reed Business Information has trimmed another title from its list, selling Publishers Weekly to a former publisher of the magazine, George Slowik Jr. Slowik’s newly formed company, PWxyz LLC, announced the acquisition April 5. The deal was part of Reed Business’s ongoing efforts to sell off most of its business-to-business titles. A top priority will be digitizing the 138-year-old magazine's archives, particularly its reviews, which go back to the 1940s....
Crain’s New York Business, Apr. 5

Download 746 free science fiction books to your iPhone
Cyriaque Lamar writes: “A new iPhone app offers 746 free public domain scifi books from authors such as Jules Verne, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and H. G. Wells. App designers Spreadsong have aggregated hundreds of classic and pulp works from the architects of modern science fiction, all for the price of a sunbeam. Spreadsong touts the app as a 100% free smorgasbord of classic literature.”...
io9, Apr. 5

Do free digital versions of books increase print sales?
John Hilton III and David Wiley write: “We used BookScan sales data for four categories of books (a total of 41 books) for which we could identify the date when the free digital versions of the books were made available to determine whether the free version affected print sales. We analyzed the data on book sales for the eight weeks before and after the free versions were available. Three of the four categories of books had increased sales after the free books were distributed.”...
Journal of Electronic Publishing 13, no. 1 (Winter)

How the paperback novel changed popular literature
Anne Trubek writes: “In 1935, Allen Lane, chairman of the British publishing house Bodley Head, spent a weekend in the country with Agatha Christie. Publishers were faring poorly during the Depression, and Lane was worrying about how to keep the business afloat. While he was in Exeter station waiting for his train back to London, he browsed shops looking for something good to read. He struck out. All he could find were trendy magazines and junky pulp fiction. And then he had a Eureka! moment: What if quality books were available at places like train stations and sold for reasonable prices—the price of a pack of cigarettes, say?”...
Smithsonian, Mar. 31

Gund baby books recalled
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Health Canada, and Gund announced a voluntary recall April 6 of almost 16,000 Gund Baby Paperboard Books because they pose a choking hazard. About 15,100 books were recalled in the U.S. and approximately 865 were recalled in Canada. Styrofoam material used in the book’s binding may dislodge when chewed or picked at, creating a potential choking hazard....
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Apr. 6

Scholarly British conference on the undead
Academics at the University of Hertfordshire are organizing a conference that will serve ketchup-smothered food (it’s tastier than blood) from coffins, all in the name of putting British vampire fiction back on the map. It’s the brainchild of Sam George (right), a lecturer in English literature who is fascinated by vampires and keen to use them to make literature exciting. Her call for papers led to more than 100 academics from disciplines including film, literature, and cultural studies sending in abstracts; 70 have been selected to talk at the two-day conference, “Open Graves, Open Minds: Vampires and the Undead in Modern Culture,” April 16–17....
The Guardian (U.K.), Apr. 6

New draft of WorldCat rights and responsibilities
The OCLC Record Use Policy Council members have been working for the past few months to develop the next generation of a WorldCat use policy. This draft document will replace the “Guidelines for Use and Transfer of OCLC Derived Records” developed in 1987 and is open for community review. OCLC is requesting feedback on the document through May 20. You can post comments to the community forum, send an email, or register to attend a webinar where you can ask questions and submit feedback to members of the council....
OCLC, Apr. 7

How libraries stack up: 2010
This new two-page report (PDF file) from OCLC examines the economic, social, and cultural impact of libraries in the United States. As the current economic environment is impacting library budgets and library usage is increasing, particular attention is paid to the role that libraries play in providing assistance to job-seekers and support for small businesses. This information may be useful to librarians as they develop budget proposals and discuss the value of library services in the context of community needs....
OCLC, Mar.

Copyright concerns affect communication research
A new survey has found that nearly half of all communication scholars lack confidence in their knowledge of copyright laws in relation to their research. On March 31, American University’s Center for Social Media released the results of a survey of International Communication Association members, which found that nearly 33% avoided specific research topics because of copyright uncertainties, and one-fifth abandoned research already undertaken due to similar concerns....
Chronicle of Higher Education: Wired Campus, Apr. 1

A proclamation: A library for every school
Joyce Valenza writes: “On April 2, the European and international organizations—European Network for School Libraries and Information Literacy, International Association of School Librarianship, and IFLA School Libraries and Resource Centres—announced the publication of a joint document, A Library for Every School (PDF file), that can be used to advocate professional school libraries worldwide. We need to adopt this letter. We need to share it broadly. And we need to do it now. The people who need us most do not yet see the bleeding. But they will.”...
NeverEndingSearch, Apr. 2

New test measures students’ digital literacy
Employers are looking for candidates who can navigate, critically evaluate, and make sense of the wealth of information available through digital media—and now there is a certification exam that measures the test-taker’s ability to assess information, think critically, and perform a range of real-world tasks. The test, iCritical Thinking certification, created by the Educational Testing Service and Certiport, is aligned (PDF file) with the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education....
eSchool News, Apr. 2; Educational Testing Service

Essential journals for physicians
Michelle Kraft writes: “According to a study by the New England Journal of Medicine, physicians are three times more likely to read an essential journal sooner and spend twice as much time reading an essential journal. The Essential Journal Study (PDF file) is an independent study that randomly surveyed physicians in 12 specialities to identify the journals they consider essential. For a medical or hospital librarian to know the top 10 essential journals in speciality fields is extremely helpful for collection development and to justify journal purchases to the administration.”...
The Krafty Librarian, Mar. 29

What makes a great law library?
Keith Carter writes: “Many thought that the digital age would render brick-and-mortar libraries obsolete. But the modern-day law library has emerged as a vital center for learning and research that’s busier than ever. We rank 198 law libraries for resources, service, and space.” The University of Iowa’s College of Law library (right) ranked at the top, followed by Yale and Indiana University....
National Jurist, Mar., pp. 22–29

Online tools your library needs now
Scott Douglas writes: “While a few libraries have implemented what could be considered a digital branch, the majority have not. Here are five basic online reference tools that every major library should have now—they are cheap, popular, and, with the exception of iPhone Apps, easy to set up. I know there are dozens of other tools out there that libraries need, but these are what I consider the easiest to set up or the most important to patrons.”...
Speaking Quietly, Apr. 5

Making the best of the worst of times
Rachel Cannady and Daniel Newton write: “Applying for any job is a multistep process, and you are probably familiar with the basics: searching for jobs, applying for positions, and interviewing. The academic librarian application process is more strenuous than completing an average job application. Recently, we completed a total of eight face-to-face interviews and 22 phone interviews. We hope that our experience will help others begin the job search process a little wiser than we did.”...
College and Research Libraries News 71, no. 4 (Apr.): 205–207, 212

Save the Library campaigns
Stephen Abram has compiled a list of online campaigns to save libraries threatened by budget cutting. He writes: “Some of these campaigns are grass roots and some come from the state library association or Friends groups. Some may have ended. It’s just one influencer strategy and it’s not a mark against a state if they haven’t chosen public viral campaigning since there are other choices to educate, lobby, advocate, and influence the budgetary process.”...
Stephen’s Lighthouse, Apr. 1

Have rolling bag, will travel
Susan Baier writes: “Outreach is one of my favorite aspects of my job, and I eagerly accept most invitations to staff a library information table at community events. Taking the library message outside the walls of your building and into the community is critical in these lean budget years where we need all the advocates we can get. Over the years, I’ve learned about the best approaches to these outreach opportunities. These are my standard items to bring to any event.”...
ALSC Blog, Apr. 5

Reflections on bookmobile service
Kevin Walsh writes: “When children first step inside a bookmobile, they are like the proverbial kids in the candy store, but even more so, because this candy is free. Like an ice cream truck or a delivery van, the bookmobile has traveled to their neighborhoods bringing books, DVDs, CDs, magazines, and special prizes awarded for participation in the summer reading program. Keely Hall, bookmobile librarian for the Anaheim (Calif.) Public Library, offers these three stories to show how much the bookmobile means to children.”...
I Love Libraries

Book groups
Q. A new resident inquired whether our library had any book clubs. The library in the town she moved from supports several and she had found hers to be a congenial way to explore books and reading. What’s involved in starting one? A. Book clubs are indeed offered at many public libraries, and provide a forum where readers can come together and talk about books and the reading experience. Usually each group has a number of participants who read and talk about books from a list or specific topic—and it certainly would be a good way for someone new to your town to meet her neighbors....
AL: Ask the ALA Librarian, Apr. 7

Ideas for National Poetry Month
Colleen Barbus writes: “If you’re interested in initiating some poetry-related programming in your library—to coincide with April’s designation as National Poetry Month, or for any time of year—take a look at programs hosted by Greensboro (N.C.) Public Library and the Loudoun County (Va.) Public Library for insight and ideas. Both libraries have inspired patrons with their annual poetry programming, getting entire communities excited about poetry, and showcasing poetry as a forum for creativity and discussion.”...
Programming Librarian, Apr. 6

Mail-a-book and Talk-a-book
Kaite Stover writes: “Madlyn Schneider, Mail-a-book coordinator at the Queens Village (N.Y.) Community branch of the Queens Library, recently described a program that she devised for her homebound patrons. One of the most popular programs is the Mail-a-book discussion group. This group is interested in sharing comments and looks forward to the monthly book discussion telemeetings and weekly general chats. Everyone participates via conference call. There are more than 50 registered members, but about 10-15 call for any particular program.”...
Book Group Buzz, Apr. 6

How to build a life-sized Candy Land
Abby Johnson writes: “My library hosted Life-Sized Candy Land over spring break and it was a hit. We ran the game in the afternoon (to give us plenty of time to set up during the day) and opened it to all ages. It’s a lot of work to make the props, but then you’ll have them for the next time you want to roll out the game. So, move yourself to a red square, take a gumdrop, and think about offering a life-sized board game at your library.”...
ALSC Blog, Apr. 6

A cloud of research
Thanks to a new project called DuraCloud, developers are building software to make it easier for academic librarians to deposit universitywide collections of research papers in off-site data storage services. The project is now in the pilot phase, but developers hope to release a version to share with other libraries by the fall of 2010. A nonprofit group called DuraSpace—formed by the merger of MIT’s DSpace Foundation and Cornell’s Fedora Commons—is spearheading the effort....
Chronicle of Higher Education: Wired Campus, Apr. 5

New York school libraries
Larry Nix writes: “April is School Library Month and in recognition of that occasion I have compiled this post which features two pieces of New York school library ephemera. The first piece is a letter written on October 31, 1844, from a county school superintendent in Epex, New York. The second piece is a small library catalogue of Public School No. 19 in Buffalo, New York, dated 1885; it is organized by subject, but the books are labeled in consecutive order going from 1 to 449.”...
Library History Buff Blog, Apr. 6

Diary of Anne Frank: Teachers’ materials
PBS Masterpiece is airing an all-new adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank on April 11, Holocaust Remembrance Day. A number of free educational opportunities related to the broadcast are available online, including a teacher’s guide, a discussion guide, resources for youth, and a live Twitter event....
PBS Masterpiece

WorldCat records for Google Books Project
OCLC is adding records to WorldCat that represent digitized books from the Google Books Library Project and the HathiTrust Digital Library to provide greater access to and increased visibility of these rich digitized collections. OCLC is working with libraries, Google, and the HathiTrust to derive new MARC records that represent these collections. WorldCat searchers will be able to locate digitized books from these collections and link to the associated book landing page....
OCLC, Apr. 5

Haiti’s Declaration of Independence rediscovered
A Duke University graduate student has discovered what is believed to be the only known printed copy of Haiti’s Declaration of Independence. While researching the early independence of Haiti in February, Julia Gaffield found the document, an eight-page pamphlet dated January 1, 1804, in the British National Archives in London. It is only the second declaration of its kind in the world (the first was the 1776 U.S. declaration). Duke has set up a website about the discovery, and the National Archives has digitized a copy (PDF file)....
Duke University, Apr. 1

New library in Ometepe, Nicaragua
Lauren Vander Zanden writes: “I’ve been involved with the San Juan del Sur Biblioteca since last January when I volunteered with a group of eight other Simmons students. Over spring break I returned as a student in the International Librarianship course. As with last time, I was struck by just how much of an uphill climb it has been for Nicaraguans to have lending libraries. Prior to Jane Mirandette founding the San Juan del Sur Biblioteca, the few libraries in the nation had closed stacks. The reality is that without any access to books Nicaraguans are not able to make the choice for themselves to read or not to read.”...
Simmons GSLIS: Dispatches from the Field, Apr. 6

Rabbit holes await at UBC Library
Nancy Mattoon writes: “The release of Tim Burton’s feature film version of Alice In Wonderland in March has returned media focus to Lewis Carroll’s 1865 classic tale once again. One of the most outstanding library collections of Wonderlandiana in the world is held by the University of British Columbia’s Rare Books and Special Collections Department. This collection of nearly 500 books and featuring the work of more than 80 illustrators was amassed by Victoria rare book dealer and librarian, R. D. Hilton Smith.”...
Book Patrol, Apr. 5

11 uses for repurposed card catalogs
Grace Light writes: “These literary treasures can be repurposed in a plethora of ways. I’ve blogged about a DIY card catalog coffee table and my library card catalog turned bookcase previously, and here are 11 more ways to use card catalogs in your home.” For example, use it for organizing silverware, as a kitchen island, for supplies and storage, or as a workstation table....
Poetic Home {pH} Living in Vintage Poetry, Apr. 6–7

Librarian Gear
For the librarian who wants to make a statement or create an impression, Librarian Gear (on the Zazzle website) might have just the thing: a multitude of T-shirts, notecards, mugs, keychains, tote bags, stickers, and magnets. Run by M. J. D’Elia, academic liaison librarian at the University of Guelph in Ontario, the site also has a Facebook page....
Librarian Gear

Library science fiction: Tomes and Talismans
Meredith Blake writes: “If for some strange reason you’ve never heard of Tomes and Talismans, just know this: It’s quite possibly the finest post-apocalyptic educational series about library science ever produced by Mississippi Public Television. Set in the year 2223, the 13-episode dystopian drama follows the saga of Miss Bookhart, an impossibly devoted—and improbably named—librarian. During a recent bout of nostalgic procrastination (the best kind), I discovered that Tomes and Talismans has been digitized and uploaded to YouTube in its entirety.”...
New Yorker: The Book Bench, Mar. 31

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